How to Make Wax

Wax is used for all different types of products. Perhaps the most popular product that people sometimes make for themselves that uses wax is candles. If you're wondering what the process is or how to go about maxing your own wax naturally from beeswax, here is the process that will help you get started making candles or any other product that uses wax.

Things You'll Need

Hot knife

Honey comb

Stainless steel double boiler

Two pieces of cheesecloth

Two old tins or pans

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Making and Preparing the Wax

Using a hot knife, shave off the wax cappings from the honey comb and save them by placing them in a bucket.

Soak the wax cappings in water overnight (rainwater is best for this procedure).

Drain the water from the bucket and place the wax cappings in a stainless steel double boiler.

Use the double boiler to heat and melt the wax cappings. Wax cappings melt at 147 degrees F and should not be heated too much over that for optimum results.

Remove any debris left on top of the melted wax cappings by gently skimming the top of the melted wax.

Let the mixture of melted wax cappings cool completely by removing it from the heat. As it cools it will solidify. After the wax has solidified, it can now be removed and used as a wax product or can be refined further to get even more debris out of the wax. Follow the next section for further refining.

Refining the Wax

Once again use the double boiler to heat the solidified wax. For this step, cut the block of wax into smaller parts so that the heating and melting process is quicker.

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While the wax is heating and melting, secure your pieces of cheesecloth to two old tins or pans to get ready to strain and refine the wax after it is melted.

After the wax has melted, remove from the heat and, once again, skim the top to remove any debris.

Pour the melted wax through the cheesecloth into the old tin that you have ready and allow the wax to drain. This will strain the wax to remove any unnecessary debris particles.

From the wax that is in the tin, pour it again through a second piece of cheesecloth in the second tin you had prepared.

Following the straining of the melted wax, allow it to cool completely and solidify.

After the wax has solidified, it can be removed and used as a candle product or any other product that has a wax base.

Tips & Warnings

Never use any other metal material other than stainless steel when performing the melting process. Iron, aluminum, or any other metal taints the color of the beeswax, which is usually not desired by any candle-makers or other wax products.